Pāhonoa te oro

Then static. Then nothing. He tried again. Silence. Scarlett stared at the radio. “That’s it?” she said quietly. No one answered. The reality of it settled in. Heavier than before. This wasn’t just an inconvenience anymore. It wasn’t just a bad trip. They were out there. And no one was coming—at least not yet. Scarlett looked out at the ocean again. This time, she didn’t complain.